154 REPOET OF COMMISSIONEK OF FISH AND FISHEEIES. [38] 



dredge and trawl were made during the day, notwitbstanding the heavy- 

 swell and fresh winds, and in the evening a set of serial temperatures 

 and water specimens was taken. We were working to the eastward, 

 gradually approaching shoal water on tlie northern side of George's 

 Bank, the last haul being in 35 fathoms. 



We steamed slowly to the eastward during the night, and at 5 a. m. 

 on the 31st cast the trawl in 41 fathoms, latitude 42° 05' IST,, longitude 

 QQo 4(3/ 15// y^ Seven hauls of the dredge and trawl were made during 

 the day between George's and Brown's Banks in from 41 to 150 fathoms. 

 Light to moderate winds from north to east prevailed, with moderate 

 sea, A thick fog set in during the night, clearing away before noon of 

 September 1. A fresh breeze sprung up later in the day, with cloudy, 

 rainy weather. Six hauls of the dredge, tangles, grapnels, and trawl 

 were taken, in from 65 to 131 fathoms, along the west slope of Brown's 

 Bank, and a set of serial temperatures and water specimens was taken 

 in the evening. 



A strong wind from the eastward forced us to cease work earlier than 

 we would otherwise have done, aud, laying to with the ship's head to 

 the southward, we drifted rapidly to the westward, reaching at miduight 

 a depth of 55 fathoms on the east end of George's Bank. We then 

 steamed slowly to the eastward, and, the wiud having moderated, at 6.15 

 a. m., September 2, we cast tlie trawl in 858 fathoms, latitude 41^ 53' 

 N., longitude 65° 35' W. This haul was very successful, bringing up 

 an enormous load of mud, small stones, and marine life. The trawl was 

 lowered again at 11,15 a. m., and we commenced heaving up at 12.50 p. 

 m. The wind had increased to a fresh breeze from southwest by this 

 time, getting up an uncomfortable swell. There was another heavy load 

 in the trawl, and, beiug anxious to get it on board, we took every jjre- 

 caution in hoisting; but the weight and rapidly increasing sea proved 

 too much for the dredge rope, which ^Darted at a kink 39 fathoms from 

 the end, the trawl and that length of rope beiug lost. Wind and sea 

 were now too lieavy to admit of using the trawl with safety and as 

 soon as the rope was in we steamed to the southward about 10 miles and 

 hove to under the fore staysail, wind and sea oue point abaft the beam, 

 the Albatross's favorite position, in which she rides the seas with remark- 

 able ease. At 6.20 p, m., latitude 41° 45' ]^f,, longitude 65° 34' W., saw 

 a large school of mackerel. We were on the northern verge of the Gulf 

 Stream, the temperature of the water being 69° F. The wind veered 

 to west during the evening and moderated. 



The weather was clear and pleasant on the morning of the 3d, cloud- 

 ing up during the forenoon, and at 11 a. m. a heavy rain squall passed 

 over the ship. The wind was from the westward early in the day, back- 

 ing to SW, in the squall above mentioned, veering to WSW, and NW, 

 after noon, and increasing to a fresh breeze, with heavy swell. At 8.14 

 a. m, cast the small trawl in 1,309 fathoms, latitude 41° 43' N., longi- 

 tude 650 21' 50" W., and veered to 1,800 fathoms of rope. The trawl 



